Super Eagles head coach, Eric Chelle, has reiterated his determination to secure victories in Nigeria’s remaining 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches.
Following a crucial 2-0 win against Rwanda in Kigali last Friday—courtesy of a brace from Victor Osimhen—Nigeria’s qualification hopes received a significant boost. The victory lifted the Super Eagles to six points in Group C, though South Africa remains top with ten points.
Chelle, adopting a step-by-step approach, emphasized the importance of focusing solely on the upcoming fixture against Zimbabwe.
“I talked to my players and I told them I want to win every game, so I’m focused on the next game, which is against Zimbabwe. After that, we can think about the next one,” Chelle stated.
He also underscored the need for consistency while commending his squad’s performance against Rwanda.
“I’m proud of what my players did in Rwanda. It was a very difficult game, but they did the job,” he said. “Now, we need to stay focused on this second game because it is the most important one right now.”
Historically, Nigeria holds an unbeaten record against Zimbabwe in competitive matches (four wins, three draws). The Warriors, currently bottom of Group C with just three points from five matches, are still in search of their first victory in the qualifiers.
Despite Nigeria’s strong record, Chelle is not underestimating the opposition.
“We had a good training session yesterday, and we’ll hit the pitch again today to prepare. It won’t be easy because Zimbabwe has a good team, good players, and a good coach,” he remarked.
The Super Eagles’ head coach also praised Zimbabwe’s coach, Nees, for his tactical setup and warned that Nigeria must be at their best to avoid any surprises.
A win on Tuesday would propel Nigeria to nine points, bringing them firmly back into contention for a World Cup berth.
